That's because these aren't drifts I'm plowing. This is just snowfall. If I had drifting snow packing itself into a cut, I would have a real problem! Just like CN.

We have a few wide spots in the track. 71 doesn't like wide spots.

Wow!

Probably a fox or coyote. I keep finding piles of feathers in the woods.

I really don't have room for a wye.

Just south of their here in the lower elevations we have had a very early spring without any snow. Hope you like Caroline on 648?

@@VickyGeagan I'm a bit too far west to hear Caroline on 648, but if I drive a couple hours, I can hear all digital WSRO on 650.

The red one is geared way too low.

That will have to wait until I get the steam engine running.

The 71 doesn't like wide gauging. We have a lot of wide gauging here, where the screws just can't keep the rails in gauge. I bought a 3D printer, and I've been working on a solution, which you'll see in an upcoming video. The chickens like to get out and free range. That's how they're getting eaten. The coop has been a safe place.

The track is built to handle 7-1/4" gauge and 7-1/2" gauge. 71 has wheels that would be fine if the track didn't wander out past 7-3/4. The problem is that the track does wander out past 7-3/4 inches between the rails in places, and that's where 71 goes off the rails. Everything else has wider wheels that will hold the rail out to nearly 8 inches.

​@@MillBrookRailroad Sounds like the Mill Brook track gang has another busy year ahead of them!

@@leverettrailfan5414 Yup. We just spent the weekend installing 3D printed tie plates in all the worst places.

It's a nice thought on the surface, but snow is nothing but frozen water, and it is generally a very, very bad idea to get electric motors wet.

@@MillBrookRailroadcould cooling fins be added to the motor housing?

That's what got stranded during the last snow storm.

@@MillBrookRailroad I don't know, looks like it does a great job, and you've figured out a lot!

This was on the 4th of April. The Plymouth is in line to go on the bench. I'll give you an update when I pull it in the shop.

They're the same thing.

We were going to go chick shopping, anyway.

I appreciate the suggestion, but it really is best to clear a railroad with something that's on the track. That way, it clears the snow off in all the right places. A rail mounted snow plow uses the rail as a reference, so it's not normally going to slam into the rails at odd angles and bend them. I've had the displeasure of needing to repair the track after a machine was driven across it. It took four hours just to get the track back on the roadbed and reassembled. Then it took another six hours to level the track.

The dish has been broken for decades.

It's a lack of tie plates for the 5/8" rail. It wasn't for not wanting to buy any, it's that nobody ever made any for this size rail. I've been working behind the scenes for the past few months to make my own tie plates using a resin 3D printer. I have a video coming up of volunteer crews working on replacing bad ties and installing 3D printed tie plates. Adding tie plates made a noticeable difference in how the track holds its gauge (which I expected) and at the same time, improved the ride quality (which I didn't expect). Without tie plates, the rail would move in and out of gauge and in and out of alignment with the cold weather. It's amazing that they haven't been available at any time in the past 70 years!

I have an update coming up.

Nothing got in. The chickens got out!

@@MillBrookRailroadaren’t they supposed to go back in if they feel threaten ?